March 2 is World Teen Mental Wellness Day
Happy March, everyone! I hope you and your family are doing well this year so far. Today I’m here to raise awareness of the mental health of our teens. We seriously need to commend our young adults for making it so far during these troubling times we’re experiencing around the world.
I mean, seriously, it is hard enough dealing with all the “normal” teen things that come along with growing up— puberty, increased school work, the social networking of trying to fit in, weight and height changes, getting their first job, learning to drive, looking at colleges, getting good grades, and the list goes on and on. Now add in all the craziness that is happening all around— a pandemic, missing school, virtual school, back to school, inflation, trying to socialize and be safe, war, global warming, and that list just goes on and on.
Sometimes we as parents tend to focus on the younger children and being able to kind of protect them from what’s going on in the world. And hey, back in the day, it was kinda easy to hide things from our teens, as well. But in today’s age, it’s a lot harder. Our young people wake up with everything hitting them as soon as they open their eyes. They have access to any and everything— local, national, and international. They are experiencing things that we only read about in history books.
I say all of this not to be the deliverer of doom and gloom, but to awaken us to really pay attention to our teens. Really look at how they handle and react to different types of news, situations, etc. Do they seem to be a bit more withdrawn? Have their eating habits changed? Do they seem moodier than usual? Try making time to have a one-on-one with them on a consistent basis to see where their minds’ are. If they seem stressed about something, see if you can offer assistance to take some pressure off. Sometimes they may just need to vent without any advice or criticisms being offered. Just showing a little grace goes a long way.
I’m not a doctor. I’m just the mom of a teen that has anxiety and am doing my best to recognize when he has needed a little more attention (or just a hug) to keep him from feeling like he’s not alone and he can come and talk to me or his dad when he needs it. And please, if you think that your teen is beyond any of this, please seek out professional help for them.
Take care of yourselves and take care of those precious, big bundles of joy that really are amazing and a joy to watch grow.
